By YASUHIKO SHIMA/ Senior Staff Writer
December 29, 2025 at 12:34 JST
Feeling a stronger commitment to peace, Princess Kako, second daughter of Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko, turned 31 on Dec. 29, the Imperial Household Agency said.
Princess Kako traveled to Hiroshima in August, the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, and visited an exhibition featuring photographs documenting the city immediately after the 1945 atomic bombing.
She deeply appreciated the efforts of those who have worked toward realizing a peaceful world, according to the agency.
Ahead of her birthday, the agency on Dec. 24 published on its website remarks made by Kako during events and ceremonies this year.
The princess has served as a part-time commissioned staff member for the Japanese Federation of the Deaf since 2021 and continues to use sign language in her daily official duties.
According to the agency, Kako expressed delight at visiting many competition venues during the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics and interacting with people from around the world through local and international sign languages.
In June, she made an official visit to Brazil, which marked the 130th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Japan. She expressed gratitude for the warm welcome she received from many people in various locations there, according to the agency.
In December, Kako visited the Kansai Brazilian community, a nonprofit organization based in Kobe, for the second time since April. She interacted with children and played games with them.
Regarding her younger brother, Prince Hisahito, Kako is pleased that he enrolled at the University of Tsukuba this spring and is studying a field he has long been interested in, the agency said.
The princess is engaged in her duties with the hope of creating a society where everyone can live with peace of mind and have a wider range of choices, according to the agency.
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Princess Kako poses in front of sasanqua flowers at the Akasaka Estate in Tokyo’s Moto-Akasaka district on Dec. 5, before her 31st birthday on Dec. 29. (Provided by the Imperial Household Agency)
